


No reason to hope

by elricsyao



Series: 31 days of whumptober [4]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: Ahhh yes the fic that almost made me cry, Angst, Ed is losing hope, Gen, Hurt!Ed, Mostly Ed's thoughts, Tw//Guns, Whumptober Day 5, character whump, ed deserves better, mentions of torture
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 07:27:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26848159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elricsyao/pseuds/elricsyao
Summary: Suddenly, a sharp screech fills the room. Ed flinches on his side, breaths catching in his chest. The door flies open, and multiple footsteps fill the room. For a second, he allows himself to hope that his friends have found him. Those hopes are crushed immediately, the voices of his captors filling his prison.And that's when it really hits. Nobody is coming for him.Whumptober day 5Day five theme: Where do you think you're going?Prompt: rescued
Relationships: Edward Elric & Roy Mustang
Series: 31 days of whumptober [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950331
Comments: 24
Kudos: 132
Collections: Whumptober 2020





	No reason to hope

**Author's Note:**

> Hey y'all! This is actually for day 5 of whumptober! I skipped day 4 due to lack of an idea. So that might be why it looks a little weird but enjoy! Depending on the reactions this gets, I'm debating on writing a sequel. I loved writing this. So anyways, enjoy!
> 
> Day five theme: Where do you think you're going?  
> Prompt: rescued

Every movement was agony. Ed slumped onto his side, coughing, spatters of blood decorating the concrete. His head throbbed in time with the beat of his heart, unrelenting as his body cried out. At some point, his captors had given up, deciding that he wouldn't break even if they had broken his flesh leg, broken his fingers so badly that he could barely feel them anymore.

It'd been days since he'd seen them last, how many he didn't know. All that allowed him to keep track were the hunger pains in his belly, the dryness of his mouth. The human body could only last two weeks without water, a deadline Ed he was sure he was close to meeting.

It was hard to tell how long it'd been with him losing consciousness whenever the agony in his body peaked. He shifted onto his back, a hiss escaping his lips as the movement pulled on the blood crusted gashes.

He found himself once again praying to any higher deity that would listen that he would be found, but he doubted any of them would listen. After all, why would they listen to a request that he himself didn't?

He'd given up hope days ago.

He supposed he deserved to die here, his final punishment for committing human transmutation. It seemed strangely equivalent in its own way. He'd accepted it one day, after a day of merciless flogging. It was the only thing he could think of as sweat covered his body, and muffled screams escaped his lips.

That didn't stop the realization that he'd never see Al again from hurting. A heavy pressure fills his chest and throat, and he can feel heat behind his eyes. He snarls weakly, no, he won't cry, he doesn't deserve to cry over this. 

Yet the tears still come. He shifted onto his side, facing the wall, and released a quiet sob. He remembered the argument, how he forced his little brother to stay in Resembool because 'Jahau was just too dangerous.' Al had been right, and now he found himself hoping that his little brother would forgive him after he died.

_That he wouldn't be here when someone found his body._

Suddenly, a sharp screech fills the room. Ed flinches on his side, breaths catching in his chest. The door flies open, and multiple footsteps fill the room. For a second, he allows himself to hope that his friends have found him. Those hopes are crushed immediately, the voices of his captors filling his prison.

And that's when it really hits. Nobody is coming for him.

Ed curls up into himself, breaths hitching. He nearly whimpers when one of them nudges his side. "Little runt is still alive." A voice confirms, sounding as if they're relieved. Ed doesn't have any energy left to be angry. Another voice hums in agreement. "Quick, the syringe. They could be here any second."

There's movement, but Ed doesn't care; he's too exhausted to care. Couldn't they leave him alone to die on his own terms? A rough hand rips him from his ball, sending shards of agony through his body, and he cries out. His head is yanked back roughly by his hair, exposing his throat.

There's a sharp prick, and the world begins to fizzle out. His consciousness begins to disappear, first, his eyesight, darkness covers his vision, and he's floating in inky blackness. The last is his hearing, and he swears he hears mention of the flame alchemist. Of course, that was probably part of his slowly dimming mind playing tricks on him.

* * *

Ed awakes with hands pulling him up. He lets out a sharp cry, momentarily fighting before he realizes there's no point; they can do what they want with him. His eyes fly open, the fearful face of one of his captors focusing above him. 

The man grabbed under Ed's knees and shoulders, lifting him roughly. The world whited out for a moment before it appeared again. His captor's face twisted, a flash of terror before it quickly disappeared. The sky above Ed blurred as the man ran. It was dyed pink in the setting sun.

Ed allowed the brief train of thought that the man was abandoning him in the middle of the woods at night, where he wouldn't be able to protect himself from the nocturnal creatures.

"Shit!" The man hissed, skidding to a stop and causing Ed to cry out. Ed could feel the man shuddering against his side. What was he so afraid of? Voices echoed from a far off distance, and he could feel the man tense. There was the sound of shuffling, and then something cold was pressed to his head. Oh, so the man was here to kill him.

The man sets him down, and he shifts around in the leaves and buries his face in his arm. The ground vibrates around him; the voices are so much closer now. There's a click behind him, and he tenses, preparing for the bullet. "Don't come any closer," His captor yells, "Or I put a bullet in his head!"

The voices filter through his head, garbled, not making any sense. Ed hisses softly through his teeth; if his captor is going to kill him, then he should at least get it over with. From his other side, he hears the sounds of guns being drawn—something creaks.

"Brother!"

"Fullmetal!"

The voices filter in through his foggy mind, not registering at first. He doesn't want to believe it's them. He doesn't think he can take any more false hope. Slowly, the young alchemist opens his eyes, removing his face from his arm. He turns his head to where he thinks those familiar voices came from.

His heart staggers in his chest.

Only fifty feet away, Mustang, his little brother, and his team. 

His world blurs with tears, and he rests his cheek in the leaves, emotions causing turmoil to fly through him. His lips tremble, quiet cries escaping his lungs. The relief nearly chokes him. He still hears the yelling, Mustang growing angrier and angrier. Then metal presses into his head.

A burst of adrenaline floods him. He claps, agony shooting through his broken fingers. His consciousness holds long enough that he's able to clap. The darkness takes him before he sees the results.

* * *

The smell of smoke and cologne wakes Ed next. The scent is a familiar one, one that only comes from Colonel Mustang's office. _Mustang_. He buries his face into the man's shoulder, fighting off relieved tears. "Edward?" Mustang asks.

He doesn't answer the man, begging unconsciousness to take him away again. He wants to wake up in the hospital with the drugs that take away his pain and set it to a dull ache. His body throbs. 

The movement stops; there's the sound of a car door opening. He's laid gently down, and his head is placed into a lap, he thinks. His injured leg is moved, straightened out. He wails, agony that's been held back from however long forcing its way out.

"Edward, Ed, look at me!" He trembles, forcing his eyes open. The face above him takes a minute to focus and can see Mustang's face through his tear blurred vision. 

"Mustang?" he whispers, voice rough and breaking. He closes his eyes, tears trailing down his face. 

"You're safe, kid," The man says softly, brushing blood-soaked bangs away from his face. "Get some rest."

For a moment, he's terrified, afraid if he falls asleep, that this will all be a fever-induced dream. His face must show it because Mustang presses a finger over his eyes.

"Rest, kid. You're safe now."

 _Safe_. He was safe now.

Rough fingers run through his hair, and he allows himself to sink into peaceful unconsciousness. Hopeful to awake free.


End file.
